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Posted:13-January-2021

Exclusive Interview: “Watching my children grow up was more important to me than my career”

Name: Richard Dexter
Territory: Herefordshire
Franchisee Since: March 2011

Back in 2011 Richard had a career as a seasoned Film and TV animator, where he worked on films such as Lord of the Rings and Avatar. Whilst glamourous on the surface, this role came with long hours, and a lifestyle which left Richard spending less and less time with his children; it even began to affect his health. After 16 years in the industry, he decided he needed a new challenge and a change in his work-life balance.

“My work had become something I no longer enjoyed. Watching my children grow up was more important to me than my career, and I knew I needed to make a change. I wasn’t particularly looking for a franchise but my wife found out about ChipsAway and the nature of the work really appealed to me, so we looked into it further.

“Initially, my biggest reservation was putting a large amount of money into something brand new. It was a scary step, but I don’t have any regrets. I now have a thriving business that both supports my family and gives me the time with them that I was missing in my previous life.

A ChipsAway franchise has certainly given Richard the freedom to mould his work around his lifestyle:

“After dropping my son at school at 9am, I walk the dogs, make my phone calls to potential customers that have come in, and start my first job at 10am. There’s no set finish time. Sometimes I will work into the evenings if I’m very busy, particularly in summer when I like to make the most of the long days.”

“ChipsAway has given me all the things I was looking for and has made my life so much better. Rather than being stuck in front of a computer, I can be my own boss and continue to do something creative. There’s no office politics, and I can even take the dogs to work with me!

“I couldn’t have started this type of business without the training support and backing of an established company behind me. Whether I’ve had a personal issue or work related concerns, they’ve always been there to help.”

Finally, we asked Richard about his aspirations for the future. He replied: “I just want to continue enjoying my happier, healthier work / life balance. I’ve always wanted a job where I wake up and want to go to work, and I have that now!”

To find out more about franchise opportunties with ChipsAway and to take back control of your work/life balance, request a prospectus here!

Interested and want to know more about ChipsAway?

The ChipsAway basic profile outlines aspects of their franchise opportunity

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